Mothball Odor in Car Interior

Question

My husband inherited a 1963 car. It hasn't been driven since 1986, and the interior was exposed to mothballs. How can we get rid of the lingering smell? -- Kathy Gross, Monroe, Ohio

Answer

If the car's in a garage, get it into the sun! Open the doors and windows, and let the breeze blow through. Lots of air circulation is needed to dissipate the smell; a fan aimed through the open doors will help. It may take several days. If the odor continues to linger, try an enzyme-based pet-odor remover.

Mothball odor in clothing is easier to eliminate, because garments can be put in a dryer on air fluff (no heat) and tossed with several fabric-softener sheets. In a few minutes, they'll smell fresh.

Good Housekeeping already has an account with this email address. Link your account to use Facebook to sign in to Good Housekeeping. To insure we protect your account, please fill in your password below.

Your information has been saved and an account has been created for you giving you full access to everything goodhousekeeping.com and Hearst Digital Media Network have to offer. To change your username and/or password or complete your profile, click here.